Eight seniors enter final game week with TCNJ
After The College of New Jersey battled Christopher Newport with a ton of emotion last weekend, the football program honored eight seniors that will play their final game this Saturday in Virginia.
There is no questioning their character, their love of the game and the determination they brought on and off the field.
The eight are Jesse Streb, Max Busca, Ryan Signora, Dominic Tobacco, Ibn Bailey, Connor Owen, Michael Garcia and Zack Tetro, and they have all contributed to the program.
But for Streb, Busca, Signora, Tobacco and Bailey it has been an amazing — and at times a frustrating — journey as these are the five that have been in the program all four years.
Four years of football, three different head coaches and different philosophies along with battling for every win possible.
“It’s definitely provided its own challenges,’’ said Signora, the former Steinert High star. “But, with every one of those challenges came opportunity. There wasn’t as much player turnover and coach turnover and because of that we were able to stick together and give it our best shot, week to week and year to year.’’
When TCNJ (2-7, 2-6 NJAC) heads to Buena Vista, Virginia this week to face Southern Virginia (3-6, 2-6 NJAC) to close out the 2018 season, it’ll be another positive step in bringing stability back to the program.
“We are all tough guys and we love the game,’’ said Streb. “This week we are going to give it all we have just like the way we have been doing for four years. It’ll be bittersweet, but I’m excited for my last game.’’
Casey Goff, the second year coach of the Lions, has brought stability to the program and has great empathy for what the seniors have endured.
“They have gone through so much,’’ said Goff. “For them to have stuck together the way they have says so much about their character.’’
This has been a season in which the Lions have faced adversity on and off the field and will no doubt make them stronger.
“There is not much more a team can go through,’’ said Goff. “We had injuries early and what we are going through now (the tragic loss of assistant coach Donny Klein). These guys are battle tested and now it’s about hitting the point of maturation going forward into next year.’’
The vast majority of the roster is freshmen and sophomores. Life in Division III football will test your depth, and TCNJ fared pretty well in that a lot of players were able to gain valuable experience.
But for Signora, the entire TCNJ is experience has been amazing.
“I wouldn’t trade my time here for anything,’’ said Signora. “I love the college, I love this team and I love the game of football. I am very grateful for the opportunities that have been afforded to me and thankful for the opportunity to come out one more time and give it everything I got.’’
It’s what seniors do.